Senegal

American  

[sen-i-gawl, -gahl] / ˌsɛn ɪˈgɔl, -ˈgɑl /

noun

1. a republic in western Africa, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by Mali. 76,084 square miles (197,057 square kilometers). Dakar.

2. a river in western Africa, flowing northwest from eastern Mali to the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Louis in Senegal. About 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) long.

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Senegal British  

/ ˌsɛnɪˈɡɔːl /

noun

1. a republic in West Africa, on the Atlantic: made part of French West Africa in 1895; became fully independent in 1960; joined with The Gambia to form the Confederation of Senegambia (1982–89); mostly low-lying, with semidesert in the north and tropical forest in the southwest Official language: French. Religion: Muslim majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Dakar. Pop: 13 300 410 (2013 est). Area: 197 160 sq km (76 124 sq miles)

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Senegal Cultural  

1. Republic in western Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. Dakar is the capital and largest city.

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Discover More

Senegal was a French colony from 1895 to 1958. It became fully independent in 1960.

Etymology

Origin of Senegal

First recorded in 1750–60; from French Sénégal, named after the Senegal River

Example Sentences

Also invited were the two other declared candidates: Argentina's Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and the former president of Senegal, Macky Sall, with the latter sending a short video message.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

His relationship with Tuchel has frequently come under scrutiny, with the manager describing Bellingham's on-field behaviour during last June's defeat by Senegal as "repulsive" – a remark Tuchel later apologised for.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Africa has 10 teams in the tournament, and Senegal and Morocco stand out as the most dangerous of the group.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

Supporters from Senegal and Ivory Coast had to secure visas before December, after which the restrictions began.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

My mom asks what they were doing in Senegal, and they say that their dad works for a humanitarian aid company and they were helping out during the summer.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya